KEENE, N.H. – First year forward
Henley Gilstrap had quite a memorable Owl Athletic Complex debut Friday night, posting her first career hat trick in just her second career game as the Keene State College field hockey team scored twice in a 14-minute span in the second half to break out in front by two and that proved to be enough as the Owls held on for a 3-2 victory over New England College.
Highlights…coming soon
Postgame Interview (Coach Smith)
Postgame Interview (Henley Gilstrap)
It is the second hat trick in as many games for KSC (2-0), who saw senior
Meghan Daileanes pot three in their 9-2 road victory over Rivier University on Tuesday to help give head coach
Leslie Smith her first career victory. She made it 2-for-2 on a beautiful still-summer evening in the Monadnock Region, with Gilstrap – a Greenfield, Mass. native and exercise science major, carrying the way. She opened the scoring in the 14th minute, tipping home a centering pass from senior
Grace Seabury, who moved past defender Neila Jones near the end line and rushed toward the goal.
NEC (0-1) responded quickly, with Adelaide Kelly capitalizing on a deflection of a ball that was initially shot from behind the circle to tie it at one with 11 seconds left in the opening quarter. But that was one of only two shots the Owls allowed over the opening three quarters as they kept the Pilgrims' offense nearly silent, with the visitors going cornerless in the first half.
Keene State retook the lead off a rush up the right side midway through the third quarter, as
Lilah Carr found
Elle MacDonald streaking into the circle with Gilstrap on her left. New England College goalie Annie Raduazzo came out to try to deny MacDonald, but the ball trickled past her, with Gilstrap sweeping it home for a 2-1 lead with 7:14 left in the period.
The score stayed that way until there was less than 10 minutes to go, as KSC kept NEC shotless in the third period, including on their first two corners of the game that came in the 40th minute. The Owls also warded off a five-minute yellow card to Daileanes, getting off three shots and earning a pair of corners in that span.
Seabury created something from what did not seem to be much with a little over eight minutes to go as KSC tacked on an important insurance goal, charging into the circle from the right side and putting at least three New England College defenders on the run behind her before centering another perfect feed for Gilstrap to fire in for a 3-1 lead.
KSC blocked three shots down the stretch to try to preserve the win before the Pilgrims made things interesting with 2:58 left following a marker from Kacey McClay that made it 3-2. NEC then had a pair of corners with a chance to tie with about a minute and a half to go, but the only shot they could get off from those chances was blocked as KSC continued to mostly stifle the visitors' attack and drained the clock from there. Six of New England College's eight credited shots came in the fourth quarter, mostly late.
Keene State had a 22-8 edge in shots and a 10-6 advantage in penalty corners.
Seabury had two assists and MacDonald one.
Tori Kelly got the win for the Owls in the cage, not needing to make a save, while Raduazzo (0-1) took the loss despite a six-save effort after allowing a pair in 42:07. Amy Philbin allowed one in 17:53 of action.
Keene State won their fourth straight and 12th in the last 14 in the series.
The Owls travel to take on Fitchburg State University (1-1) on Tuesday, September 8 for a 7:00 p.m. start. NEC travels to Clark University the same night.
